Device for metallizing



- Feb. 15, 1944.-

w. DORN ETA L DEVICE FOR METALLIZING Original Filed May 1a, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'Z W'I ,Zfzvenionr.

WALTER Doe/v f/ZW/N MUNK v51 florney.

Feb. 15, w DQRN El-AL DEVICE FOR METALLIZING Original Filed May 1s, 1938 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,1 nvenfbor WALTER DORN W/A/MUNK I serves also as a treating chamber itself 1;. atented Feb. 15, 1944 2,341,603 DEVICE FOR METALLIZING Walter Dorn, Vaihingen-Rohr, and Erwin Munlr,

Esslingen-on-the-Neckar,

Germany vested in the Alien Property Custodian Original application May 18, 1938, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 26, 1940, Serial No. 367,288. In Germany May 29, 193':

12 Claims.

For the metallizing of objects, by cathode sputtering or metal vaporizing a very high vacuum is v generally required. In order to avoid a vacuum loss on each fresh feeding process the vacuum vessel can be provided with a vacuum lock, by means of which the objects to be treated can be inserted into or removedsfrom the high vacuum chamber. This lock generally comprises a separate chamber, which can be evacuated or filled with air without afiecting the pressure in the high vac-- .uumchamber, wherein the metallization takes place. In using two separate locks before and after the high vacuum chamber, the objects to be treated are inserted into the vacuum chamber through the first of these locks by means of -a suitable conveying mechanism and removed through the other lock by means of a similar mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide a construetion in which the locks will be of minimum size during their evacuation,'in order to enclose only a very small quantity of air to be removed by the vacuum pump, but to increase the locks to a sufiicient size, when the objects are inserted or removed. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable lock chamber, which during its evacuation conveys the objects to be treated from a place with atmospheric pressure to a place with a pressure corresponding to the pressure in the high vacuum chamber; before which conveyance the size of the lock chamber is decreased, while it is increased after the conveyance to the point of high vacuum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a displac'eable chamber, the size of which can be varied and which, therefore; serves notonly as a lock chamber conveying into a high vacuum chamber objects to be treated there but which A still further object of the invention is to provide. a construction which eliminates the need for a particular conveying mechanism for the transportation of the objects to be treated in vacuo between the lock chamber and the treating chamber. These prior art conveying mechanisms are the source of many troubles, because they must be operated inthe full vacuum, whereas the driving gear is generally arranged under atmospheric pressure.

Other objects and advantages will be appar# cut as the invention is more fully disclosed.

The invention is more particularly described Fig. 1 shows a device with two chambers, the one of which is just used for vaporization, whilst the other is increased for the insertion or the removal of a body to be treated or already treated.

Fig. 2 shows the same device in another position.

In both figures, 8!] denotes a vacuum vessel or cylinder in which three pistons 8|, 82, and 83 can move. The two end pistons BI and- 83 each have a guide rod by which they can be moved or op,- erated from the outside of easing or cylinder 80.

'The middle piston 82 is axially displac'eable by the end pistons, and is preferably disposed so as to be incapable of rotation by a guide or the like (not shown). Between each of the end pistons and the middle piston there is provided a coupling device including a boss 81a, 82a, adapted to engage the corresponding recesses 82b, 83b,re-

spectively, so that the middle piston may be connected with each of the two end pistons, for'instance, if the end piston is rotated about its axis, whereby they can be positively coupled or uncoupled.

' 84 is the point at which the high vacuum is present. This point'is connected with a high vacuum pump by a pipe connection 85. 86, 81, 88, and 89 are connections for preliminary vacuum pumps. From the connection points of these vacuum pumps, pipes lead to the annular inlets 86', 86", 81', 81", 88', 88", and 89', 89", which terminate at the cylindrical surfaces of th piston guides. 9| is a vapourising vessel in which the melted metal becomes vapourised. The vapourising vessel can be rocked by the supporting arms Sla about the pivot 92, in order that it may be taken out of the way of the pistons.

93 and 94 are the feeding points or openings for inserting and removing objects to be treated by the device. In the example of construction, the device is constructed for the vaporising or coating of head lamp reflectors. 'For this purpose, the lower end 95 of the piston 8| and also the lower end 96 of the middle position 82 are arranged in the shape of this reflector, and each is provided with a. seeming device (not shown), for a reflector or mirror. The end of the adjacent Piston opposite this point at any time is formed.

in the same shape, so that, with the reflector or mirror inserted, the particular corresponding end surfaces of the piston can approach each'other so far that only a very small air space remains with reference to the accompanying drawings,

wherein The methodof operation of the vacuum device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows:' When the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1, a

reflector carrier'secured to the piston end 95 is at the high vacuum point, where it is vapourised or coated with metal from the vapouriser 8!. At the feeding point or opening 94, anunmetallized reflector carrier is inserted and secured to the lower end 96 of the middle piston 82. After termination of the metal vapourising of the reflector present at the point 95, the vapouriser 9! is swung out of the piston path. The piston 83 is moved is connected through pipes of varying cross sec-.-

tion to the pump.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 208,724, filed May 18, 1938.

We declare, that what we claim is:

1. A device for treating objects in vacuo comprising a cylinder, at least two pistons situated therein and cooperating with said cylinder to form between their adjacent ends a chamber whose volume can be changed by the relative movement toward each other of said pistons and whose position within the cylinder can be varied by the common movement of said pistons, said chamber receiving an article to be treated, means to support said article in predetermined position v on one of said movable pistons at least one openthe inlet point of the prevacuum pipes, the chamher in which the reflector at the point 96 is located, is gradually vacuated to high vacuum, while the space in which the reflector at the point 95-is situated receives a pressure which gradually becomes smaller.

The upper piston 8! is either coupled with the middle piston on the first contact, or during the period following during which the piston 83 also moves, or is coupled with the piston 82 at the end of the movement thereof.

When the piston 83 has reached the position shown in Fig. 2, it is uncoupled from the middle piston and made stationary. The piston 8 l however, is driven still further from the outside, so that the middle piston 82, which is coupled with it, also moves further until both have reached the -position shown in Fig. 2. During this movement,

the chamber in which the reflector carrier secured to the piston end 96 is situated, has become so much enlarged that the treatment of the reflector carrier can be effected therein. The vapouriser is swung in again and vapourising commences.

The piston 8| is now uncoupled from the middle piston 82, the middle piston 82 being held stationary in its position in any manner. The piston 8| is then moved further until asufliciently large space'for the withdrawal of the reflector present on the piston end 95 has arisen at the feeding point or opening 93. The reflector is now aken oil the piston end 95, and replaced by a reflector carrier which has not yet been metallized.

The action now begins again in the opposite direction, so that in this way. unmetallized reflectors can be inserted regularly and alternately,

at the openings or ports 98 and 94 and metallized reflectors can be withdrawn.

The pistons 8|, 82, and 83 may naturally also have level end surfaces, to which are secured packing pieces, which are adapted in shape to the objects which are actually to be treated.-

In order to obtain a simple insertion of the unmetallized objects they can be put at any time upon the upper piston end of the pistons 6 tons after this chamber has obtained the volume necessary for the vacuum treatment and a position wherein it is joined with the pipe connection of the highest vacuum stage.

2. A device as set out in claim 1 in which the adjacent ends of the pistons are each 1 ed to follow the contour of one of the two opposite sides, respectively, of the object to b treated whereby the chamber formed between said ends has at least two opposed walls each of which follows thecontour of'at least one of two opposite sides, respectively, of said object.

3. A device as set out in claim 1 in which the openings of said pipe connections into the cylinder are controlled by said pistons.

4. A device as set out in claim 1 including means for moving the metallizing means into and out of the treating chamber formed between said pistons.

5. A device as set out in claim 1 including an intermediate piston mounted between said pistons whereby two chambers are formed, one between each two adjacent ends of said pistons, and said cylinder is provided with two longitudinally spaced openings each permitting insertion and withdrawal of an object to be treated into or from each of said'openings.

6. A device as set out in claim 1 in which the metallizing means comprises a metal vaporizer which, is mounted in a recess provided in said cylinder wall and means for moving said vaporizer into and out of said chamber formed between the pistons. 7. A device as set out in claim 1 including an intermediate piston mounted between said .pistons, and means for connecting said intermediate piston to either of said pistons whereby said intermediate piston can be reciprocated by either of the other two pistons.

8. Apparatus for treating articles in vacuo, comprising a cylinder provided with at least one port open to atmosphere for the entrance and exit of articles to be treated and at least two opposed pistons slidably mounted in said cylinder and cooperating therewith to open and close said port and to provide between their adjacent ends at least one movable chamber to receive and support an article to be treated, said chamber receiving an article to be treated, means to support said article in predetermined position on one of said movable pistons, means for creating a high vacuum in said cylinder at a point spaced longitudinally from said port, and means for moving both of said pistons in the same direction and also toward each other .longitudinally of said cylinder whereby the position and also the volume of said chamber can be varied and whereby said chamber and the article supported therein ior treatment can be moved in said cylinder from an entrance port to a point of high vacuum and then to an exit port.

9. Apparatus for treating articles in vacuo, comprising a cylinder provided with at least one port open to atmosphere for the entrance and exit of articles to be treated and at least two opposed pistons slidably mounted in said cylinder and cooperating therewith to open and close said port and to provide between their adjacent ends at least one movable chamber to receive and support an article to be treated, ceiving an article to be treated, means to support said article in predetermined position on one of said movable pistons, means for creating a high vacuum in said cylinder at a point spaced longitudinally from said port, and means for moving both of said pistons in the same direction and also toward each other longitudinally of said cylinder whereby the position and also the volume of said chamber can be varied and whereby said chamber and the article supported therein for treatment can be moved in said cylinder from an entrance port to a. point of high vacuum and then to an exit port, said pistons being movable relative to each other to reduce the-size of said chamber after introduction of the article thereinto and before movement of the chamber away said chamber rearticle in predetermined position on one of said movable pistons, means for creating a high vacuum in said cylinder at a point spaced longitudinally from said port, and means for moving both of said pistons in the same direction and also toward each other longitudinally of said cylinder whereby the position and also the volume of said chamber can be varied and whereby said chamber and the article supported therein for treatment can be moved in said cylinder from an entrance port to a point of high vacuum and then to an exit port, said pistons being relatively movable to reduce the size of said chamber after introduction of the article thereinto and to enlarge and then reduce the size of said chamber immediately before and after treatment of said article and said pistons being movable together to carry the article between them from the entrance to the point of high vacuum and then to the exit, and means for metallizing the article in said chamber after said chamber has been moved to the point of high vacuum.

11. Apparatus for treating articles in vacuo, comprising a cylinder provided with at least one port open to atmosphere for the entrance and exit of articles to be treated and at least two opposed pistons slidably mounted in said cylinder and cooperating therewith to open and close 'said port and to provide between their adjacent ends from said entrance port and being movable together to carry the article to a point of high vacuum, whereupon the pistons are again movable relative to each other to first enlarge said chamber to permit treatment of the article therein and then to reduce the size of said chamber after treatment, the pistons then being movable together to return the article to the exit port whereupon they 'are again movable relative to each other to enlarge said chamber and permit withdrawal of said article therefrom.

10. Apparatus for treating articles in. vacuo, comprising a cylinder provided with at least one port open to atmosphere for the entrance and exit of articles to be treated and at least two opposed pistons slidably mountedin said cylinder and cooperating therewith to open and close said port and to provide between their adjacent ends at least one movable chamber to receive and support an article to be treated, said chamber receivat least one movable chamber to receive and support an article to be treated, said chamber receiving an article to be treated, means to support said article in predetermined position on one of said movable pistons, means opening into said cylinder at a plurality of points spaced 1ongitudinally from said port to provide various degrees of vacuum, including a point of high vacuum, extending at spaced points longitudinally of said cylinder, and means for moving both of said pistons in the same direction and also toward each other longitudinally of said cylinder whereby the position and also the volume of said chamber can be varied and whereby said chamber and the article supported therein for treatment can be moved in said cylinder from an entrance port progressively past said points of varying degrees of vacuum to a point of high vacuum tons whereby two chambers are formed, one between each two adjacent ends or said pistons,

and said cylinder is provided with two longitudi- 'nally spaced ports each permitting entrance a exit of articles to be treated into or from each of said ports. I

WALTER DORNB v ERWIN MUNK. 

